Enlist the help of some friends, or hire a professional, you’ll enjoy the results of a spick-and-span house.

Most people would limit the idea of cleaning up to the inside of the house. The fact of the matter is that the exterior of the home is the first impression most people get. You need to dedicate time to make sure the outside of your household is as well maintained as the interior. The exterior is exposed to all sorts of weather conditions and is likely to gather more dirt and grime than the inside of your house. You don’t have to trouble yourself with sprucing the lawn up every single day, but you should try to clean up at least twice a week to keep on top of the workload.

Maintaining A Beautiful Yard

Your front lawn can have a huge effect on making your house feel welcoming and warm. There are a few steps you can do regularly, such as trimming the grass, raking up any fallen leaves, and making sure your flowerbed is watered. Other aspects of yard maintenance are seasonal, such as pruning disfigured branches after winter. Depending on which city you live in, you might have to deal with bigger issues. Some cities have heavy rainfall, such as the thunderstorms in Austin summers, and you are more likely to have felled trees on your yard. In this case, you might want to call in a specialist.

Keeping Your Driveway Stain-free

The concrete of your driveway is going to gather the most stains over time. Your tires are transferring dirt, mud, and grime from your daily commutes onto the concrete. On top of that, you might gather stains from the occasional leak of car fluids, such as oil or antifreeze. Moreover, when you’re hosing down your car, that dirty water is being sopped up by the concrete. Thankfully, this problem isn’t too hard to deal with. A combination of laundry detergent and a high-pressure hose can get rid of most stains in your driveway. For more stubborn stains, you can buy specialized cleaning fluid from most auto shops.

Pressure Washing Your House

Pressure washers are highly versatile tools that can help you clean the different external surfaces of your house with ease. It’s the fastest way to remove mold, algae, fungi, or any moss that might have accumulated on your walls. It can also quickly remove rain and snow stains from your windows and give your house a new, sparkling look. However, you need to make sure that you’re using the pressure washer at the right pressure to make sure you don’t damage your property or anyone in the house. While pressure washing is an effective technique, it does carry risks, so make sure you’re following all recommended safety protocols. This form of deep cleaning does not need to be done regularly, so if you don’t feel confident in your own ability, you can always hire an expert.

Don’t Sweat the Details

After taking care of the big issues, you need to focus on any other minor problems around your house. Check your dumpster, as the garbage bags sometimes leak and cause the bins to stink up. Use some diluted bleach or detergent to soak the bins for a few hours, and throw in a bit of lemon or tomato juice to get rid of any nasty smells. Secondly, your gutters might have gathered up twigs and leaves over time. If the gutters become clogged, it’ll lead to rot in wooden gutters or rust in the case of metal ones. In case you’re dealing with weeds, you can make a homemade weed-killer with baking soda. You can buy weedkillers in most stores as well, but the homemade option is safer for any pets you may have.

Does Cleaning the Exterior Matter?

It might sound like keeping the outside of the house in tip-top shape is a lot of effort, and you could be wondering if it’s worth the trouble. In simple words, yes, you are doing yourself a huge favor by keeping your house clean from the outside. This is for two main reasons.

•  It Increases Market Value

You never know when the day comes that you decide to sell your house. In order to get the highest price possible, you need to make sure the outside is as clean and spotless as possible. A clean exterior increases the longevity of your house, as the dirt, algae, and mold are not wearing away at the structure. Moreover, you’re going to have a lot of curb-side appeal. Being one of those car-slowing houses on the street is going to help you stand out from the competition when it comes to reselling your house.

• Giving Yourself a Sense of Accomplishment

A clean exterior means that you’re always ready for the unexpected guest that might pop in. Moreover, the satisfaction of coming back from work to a sparkling house will help you feel happier in your daily life. It’s always rewarding to look at the physical result of one’s efforts.